I have nothing against ChinesePod, myself (especially since I know someone that works there.. sorry buddy!!), and think they offer some really great services for any level learners of Mandarin. That said, their recent few adverts, which I consider to be a form of scare-mongering, made me think about people that get into language learning and why. The ads go something like this:

You know Chinese immersion schools have become mainstream when small towns in *New Jersey* start intensive programs http://fb.me/uy3ADG9H

Anyway, sure, I’m from Jersey so maybe that’s part of it, but it’s the core of the form of advertising that gets me. Basically, the goal is to say, “Look! Mandarin is spreading! Get on it before everyone else does and you fail like the Jersey Shore!”

This is the entirely wrong mindset to go into Chinese language studying, and will eventually lead to burnout, failure, or mediocrity.

Let me make my point as succinctly as possible. One thing I realized, and very quickly, after entering into graduate school at National Taiwan University, is this: YOU’RE NOT SPECIAL. I know it sounds harsh, but this is something that people overlook. They think, “I’m going to BEAT EVERYONE AND BE THE POKEMON CHINESE MASTER!” The problem with this is the fact they only have three points of reference: their teacher, Chinese people, and their classmates. It’s easy to think you’re easily able to surpass all these nuts, until you get into an environment with other foreigners who can, despite everything you’ve been told, can speak, read, and write some pretty slick Chinese.

So keep that in mind. The only real competition is yourself. Follow your own goals. Don’t let "the other” get to you. Don’t follow trends. Go with what’s in your heart.

The lyrics of this song, despite being in English, describe this situation perfectly:

When there’s a burning in your heart An endless yearning in your heart Build it bigger than the Sun Let it grow Let it grow And there’s a burning in your heart Don’t be alarmed

When there’s a doubt in your mind ‘Cos you think it all the time Framin’ rights into wrongs Move along Move along When there’s a doubt in your mind

When there’s a burning in your heart And you think it’ll burst apart Oh, there’s nothing to fear Save the tears

When there’s a burning in your heart And if you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born Then, it’s time to go And you find your destination with so many different places to call home Cos’ when you find yourself a villain, In the story you have written It’s plain to see That sometimes the best intentions Are in need of redemptions Would you agree If so, please show me

Edit:

I had a comment below from John, who lives in Shanghai with an excellent blog full of some great pictures and videos, that read:

I think you misread the intent of the tweet… I’m pretty sure he was just making fun of New Jersey (aka the East Coast’s sport of choice).

Yes, being born in Jersey does entitle me so much ridicule and sadness (if even has a bad rep in Taiwan), but the core point John made does make me realize I should probably explain myself a bit more in-depth (which was also the reply I made to his comment):

Actually, I would agree with you but this was kind of a trend in other tweets. For example, you could make the same argument on this post:

While these have to be taken in with the greater context of their other posts, giving you a feel of ‘pressure’ (marketing) to study Chinese and study it now, it’s this use of “mainstream”, such as in the original post quoted above (“You know Chinese immersion schools have become mainstream”), that bothers me. To me, and again I know ChinesePod is doing it entirely for marketing purposes so I don’t blame them, it’s the mindset that I think is wrong. It’s forcing people to feel like “If I don’t study Chinese NOW I’m forever doomed to be outclasses by my peers!” This is the problem. It’s all relative. 20 years ago when Japan’s economy was booming it was Japanese that was ‘mainstream’; 100-200 years ago it was French; now it’s Chinese and Arabic or Spanish in the states..

Anyway the point I’m trying to make is that it shouldn’t feel like pressure to learn these things just because they’re showing up in Jersey, Wyoming or Kansas, but rather because you want to.

Like this:

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zhongruige

4 Comments

I likewise cannot understand the competition mentality among language learners. If someone else has achieved what you want to achieve, great! Be happy for them and be encouraged that since others can do it, you can as well.

I don’t get it either! Hearing people ask, “Is my Chinese better than his? How is it better than mine?” really just makes you want to say, “Shut up and go study Chinese then!” Quite wasting your time! I think people need to work in their own world, so to speak, less in the world of others. That is one nice thing about AJATT+ and talking with you guys, is that we’ve built up a supportive community that is always willing to test out and try new ideas.

Besides, most people that talk negatively or compare are usually the ones still suck in language textbooks 😛

While these have to be taken in with the greater context of their other posts, giving you a feel of ‘pressure’ (marketing) to study Chinese and study it now, it’s this use of “mainstream”, such as in the original post quoted above (“You know Chinese immersion schools have become mainstream”), that bothers me. To me, and again I know ChinesePod is doing it entirely for marketing purposes so I don’t blame them, it’s the mindset that I think is wrong. It’s forcing people to feel like “If I don’t study Chinese NOW I’m forever doomed to be outclasses by my peers!” This is the problem. It’s all relative. 20 years ago when Japan’s economy was booming it was Japanese that was ‘mainstream’; 100-200 years ago it was French; now it’s Chinese and Arabic or Spanish in the states..

Anyway the point I’m trying to make is that it shouldn’t feel like pressure to learn these things just because they’re showing up in Jersey, Wyoming or Kansas, but rather because you want to.